1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to a surgical system incorporating an insufflation instrument and cooperative access instrument for providing insufflation of, and direct access, to an underlying body cavity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Minimally invasive surgical procedures involve percutaneously accessing an internal surgical site with small-diameter access tubes (typically 5 to 12 mm), usually referred to as trocars, which penetrate the skin and permit access to the desired surgical site. A viewing scope is introduced through one trocar, and the surgeon operates using instruments introduced through other appropriately placed trocars while viewing the operative site on a video monitor connected to the viewing scope. The surgeon is thus able to perform a wide variety of surgical procedures requiring only several 5 to 12 mm punctures at the surgical site. Consequently, patient trauma and recovery time are greatly reduced. Minimally invasive surgical procedures include laparoscopic procedures which involve the insufflation of the patient's abdominal region to raise the abdominal wall and create sufficient operating space to perform a desired procedure. Typically, an insufflation needle is utilized to insufflate the abdominal region.
Insufflation needles may be utilized in an access system, as well. Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,676 to Dubrul et al., the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses an access system incorporating an elongate dilation member and an expansion member receivable within an axial lumen of the trocar. The dilation member includes a tubular braid which is radially expandable from a small diameter configuration to a large diameter configuration. A removable sheath may cover the braid. In use, the dilation member is percutaneously introduced to a target site within a patient's body, e.g., within the abdomen of the patient. An insufflation needle may be assembled with the dilation member for introduction of the dilation member and insufflation of the abdomen. The expansion member is thereafter introduced within the dilation member to radially expand the tubular braid. The Dubrul '676 system has proven to be highly effective in conjunction with laparoscopic and other minimally invasive surgical procedures.